A total of 1,425 international students were denied entry into the United Kingdom upon arrival at various airports between 2021 and 2023. Among these, 161 were Nigerian students who faced removal at the border.
Data obtained from the UK Home Office under the Freedom of Information Act reveals that Indian students constituted the largest group affected, with 644 rejections, accounting for 45% of the total.
Nigeria followed with 161 students, representing 11.3%, while Ghana and Bangladesh had 92 and 90 rejections, respectively.
The data from October 2021 to October 2023, specifically pertains to students denied entry at airports and does not include those deported for visa violations, such as exceeding work hour limits or academic misconduct.
The Home Office did not provide detailed reasons for the removals, but reports suggest that students often struggled to convince Border Force officers of their eligibility during airport checks. Issues cited include the presentation of forged documents and inadequate English language skills.
Dele Olawanle, an immigration lawyer based in North London, criticized the treatment of students by Border Force officers, suggesting that they have assumed roles beyond their mandate by questioning students about their academic courses.
He noted that several students reached out to him for assistance shortly after facing threats of removal, highlighting a troubling trend where border officers act as de facto university admissions officers.
Olawanle emphasized that the primary responsibility of these officers should be to verify the legitimacy of entry clearance rather than to assess students' academic knowledge.
Nelly Okechukwu, a data analyst, recounted his own experience at an airport where, after a long flight, he was questioned about his academic history in a course he completed over a decade ago.
